What is Enduro?

Enduro racing is all the rage these days yet people often mean decidedly different things when they say the “E” word.

So, what is Enduro?

In recent years, most Enduro races in America were being won on 4 and 5-inch travel 29ers. It’s a very different scene, however, in Europe.

Across the pond, Enduro is something less like Super D and more like a fit downhiller’s sport in which burlier all-mountain bikes are the weapon of choice and the emphasis is more squarely placed on the timed descents. It looks like that flavor of Enduro is beginning to regain steam here in the states as well (2012’s Oregon Enduro series is a great example).

But if all this means nothing to you, just go ahead and watch the clip above (courtesy of the Italian enduro team, LIFE CYCLE).